1
-THE FIRST-
Books, money are good gifts
送礼，钱书最为实用！
Researchers from the National University of Singapore and the University of Chicago conductedsix experiments asking people about giving and receiving gifts. They found gift-givers prefer those expected to produce smiles or gasps of joy, but people receiving them prefer gifts that will make them happy over the long-term.
新加坡国立大学和芝加哥大学的研究人员开展了六项实验，询问人们赠送与收到礼物的经历。他们发现，送礼者更喜欢那些能让人露出笑容或惊喜的礼物，但收礼者更偏爱那些能让他们开心很长时间的礼物。
When the researchers asked 80 people for their favorite gifts, books and money came out among the top for satisfaction, despite causing little in the way of smiles or squeals. Further analysis of 198 people and 600 Christmas gifts found tools like acordless drilloften get little reaction but provide high satisfaction.
研究人员向80人询问他们最喜欢的礼物时发现，尽管不太会令人露出笑容或发出尖叫，书籍与金钱却在最令人满意的礼物之列。他们对198人以及600件圣诞礼物进一步分析后发现，收礼者往往对像无线电钻这样的工具反应平淡，但满意度却很高。
Frivolousitems like cupcakes produce a good reaction but low satisfaction. Another experiment found gift-givers preferred personalized mugs but people given them preferred less thoughtfulergonomicones designed to be easy to use.
纸杯蛋糕等不实用物品虽然会激起不错的反应，但收礼者的满意度却很低。另一项实验发现，送礼者更喜欢赠送定制的杯子，但收礼者更喜欢虽不贴心但易于使用的人体工学杯子。
重点词汇
1、conducted
英 /ˈkɒndʌktid/ 美 /ˈkɑndʌktid/
v. 管理（conduct的过去分词）；引导；指挥
2、squeal
英 /skwiːl/ 美 /skwil/
vt. 告密；长声尖叫
vi. 告密；尖声地说
n. 尖叫声
3、cordless drill（英 /drɪl/ 美 /drɪl/ ）
无线电钻
4、frivolous
英 /’frɪv(ə)ləs/ 美 /’frɪvələs/
adj. 无聊的；轻佻的；琐碎的
5、ergonomic
英 /,ɜːɡəʊ’nɒmɪk/ 美 /’ɝgə’nɑmɪk/
adj. 人类环境改造学的；人类工程学的
2
-THE SECOND-
Flight times extended
航企故意拉长航班时间
Plane journeys are taking longer than a decade ago, according to a report that claims the change is down to airlines “padding” their schedules to create the impression passengers were reaching their destinations on time.
与10年前相比，坐飞机出行的时间变长了。一份报告声称，这一变化是因为航空公司拉长飞行用时，以制造乘客按时抵达目的地的印象。
Carriers are adding extra time to flight schedules, in some cases up to 30 minutes, to ensure they maintain punctualityand are therefore less likely to be liable forcompensationpayouts, the investigation by UK consumer group Which? claimed. Researchers examined average flight times for 125 routes operated by large airlines in 2009 and compared them with last year.
英国消费者组织Which?进行调查后声称，航空公司延长航班的计划飞行时间，有时多达30分钟，以确保能保持准点，由此，它们对乘客承担赔偿责任的几率也降低了。研究人员分析了2009年大型航空公司运营的125条航线的平均飞行时间，并将它们与2017年的数据进行对比。
They found that 76 routes, or 61%, were now slatedto take longer. Airlines said their aircraft were flying at slower speeds to reduce fuel consumption and this allowed them to offer cheaper fares. British Airways also told Which? that air traffic congestion was a factor, with European skies now much busier than 10 years ago.
结果发现，有76条航线，即61%的航线现在的飞行时间更长了。航空公司称，它们的飞机飞行速度变慢是为了减少燃油消耗，这使它们可以提供更便宜的机票。英航还对Which?表示，空中交通拥堵也是一个因素，欧洲空域现在要比10年前繁忙得多。
重点词汇
1、padding
英 /’pædɪŋ/ 美 /’pædɪŋ/
n. 填料；垫料
v. 填补（pad的ing形式）
2、punctuality
英 /,pʌŋktjʊ’ælɪtɪ/ 美 /ˌpʌŋktʃʊˈælətɪ/
n. 严守时间；正确；规矩
3、compensation
英 /kɒmpen’seɪʃ(ə)n/ 美 /,kɑmpɛn’seʃən/
n. 补偿；报酬；赔偿金
4、slate
英 /sleɪt/ 美 /slet/
n. 板岩；石板；蓝色；石片
vt. 铺石板；严厉批评某人；计划
adj. 板岩的；石板色的
3
-THE THIRD-
Berlin Wall to be ‘rebuilt’
德艺术家拟’重建’柏林墙
A group of artists said Tuesday they’re planning to build a facsimileof the Berlin Wall around a downtown Berlin block in mid-October. Visitors to the artinstallationmust buy “visas” online starting at 15 euros.
一群艺术家28日表示，他们计划10月中旬在柏林市中心的一个街区周围建造柏林墙的复制品。前往这一艺术设施的游客必须在网上购买”签证”，起价15欧元。
When entering the walled area, they’ll have to exchange their cellphones for a smartphone which will provide individual instructions for a tour including documentaries, exhibits or concerts. The artists’ group DAU, which is behind the project, says it wants to distribute between 1,500-3,000 “visas” per day.
进入这个围墙内的区域时，游客需用自己的手机换取一部智能手机，这部智能手机将为他们提供个人参观指南，包括纪录片、展览或音乐会。此项目背后的艺术团体DAU表示，希望每天发放1500至3000份”签证”
Inside the walled block, there also will be viewing platforms from which visitors can peer outside into Berlin – in contrast tothe Cold War platforms where people could peek into East Berlin from the West. The wall will betorn downon Nov 9 – 29 years after the original Berlin Wall came down.
。这个有围墙的街区内还设有观景台，游客可以从观景台向外眺望柏林——这与冷战时期的观景台不同，当时人们可以从西柏林窥视东柏林。这个柏林墙的复制品将于11月9日被推倒，这距离真正的柏林墙倒塌已有29年时间。
重点词汇
1、facsimile
英 /fæk’sɪmɪlɪ/ 美 /fæk’sɪməli/
n. 传真；复写
adj. 复制的
vt. 传真；临摹
2、installation
英 /ɪnstə’leɪʃ(ə)n/ 美 /’ɪnstə’leʃən/
n. 安装，装置；就职
3、in contrast to
与……形成对照
4、torn down
v. 扯下；诋毁；拆卸；逐条驳斥
4
-THE FOURTH-
Repellents not working
50款驱蚊产品无一有效
Fifty mosquito repellentproducts, including mosquito repellent patches and wristbands, prove to be of little help, Beijing quality supervision authorities said after conducting recent sample tests.
北京市质监局近日对包括驱蚊贴和驱蚊手环在内的50款驱蚊产品进行抽样检测后发现产品无一有效。
Bought from online and offline stores, these new mosquito repellent products, with price tags varying from 5.2 to 66 yuan, all boasteda plant-based formula with a long effective duration for babies and pregnant women. The test result is disappointing.
这些新型驱蚊产品是从线上和线下商店购买的，价格从5.2元至66元不等，均号称采用植物配方，驱蚊效果持久，儿童和孕妇适用。检测结果令人失望。
Scientists noted that the dose of citronellol, an oil used for keeping insects away, in mosquito repellent products is the key factor in assessing its effectiveness. Among the 50 samples, 14 of them did not have citronellol, while the rest reportedly had the ingredient but at amounts below the standard.
科学家们曾指出，驱蚊产品中的香茅醛(一种被用来驱虫的油剂)的剂量是评估其驱蚊有效性的关键因素。据报道，50份样品中的14份根本不含香茅醛，其他样品中虽然含有香茅醛，但剂量低于标准。
重点词汇
1、repellent
英 /rɪ’pel(ə)nt/ 美 /rɪ’pɛlənt/
adj. 排斥的；防水的；弹回的；令人讨厌的
n. 防护剂；防水布；排斥力
2、boast
英 /bəʊst/ 美 /bost/
vt. 夸口说，自吹自擂说；以有…而自豪
n. 自夸；值得夸耀的事物，引以为荣的事物
vi. 自吹自擂
3、citronellol
/,sɪtrə’nɛlɔl; ,sɪtrə’nɛlol; ,sɪtrə’nɛlɑl/
香茅醇；香料；香茅醇香料；芳樟醇